Her Dragon Lover

Her Dragon Lover - Chapter 11

"How old are you, sir?" Ara did not know what Emyr was expecting but he looked totally surprised by what she asked.

"The last time I checked," he began slowly, "I was--"

"No. Don't answer, please. I'm sorry. I shouldn't ask personal questions!" Ara interrupted hastily. She swallowed all curious thoughts about her employer.

Emyr was relieved. "I don't mind but my age was not important here."

"Yes." Ara was forced to agree. "I finished the first chapter. What do you think they were looking for?"

He hesitated for a moment. "I don't know... Maybe, a greener pasture?"

'He's lying!'

Emyr Viceroy had a pulse ticking at his jaw whenever he shunned the truth. Like now. His straight face was marred by the pulsing jawline.

"But the dra--"

His hand covered her mouth. "Don't say that word aloud, Miss Gray," he whispered warningly. "They might hear we're discussing them!"

Ara nodded so the hand over her mouth was removed.

"But the dragons--" She was stopped by a giant wave from nowhere. "Halps!"

Emyr was also wet by the big shower. He wiped his face with the table napkin. He was shaking his head while laughing.

"I told you not to say that word aloud!" he muttered with a chuckle.

"Where did the water come from?" Ara could not believe that the water came from the mad-made stream.

"The water came from up there."

Ara's eyes followed the direction his forefinger pointed. From up above, she saw a very large statue of a dragon with open mouth and with wings widespread. From inside its mouth were pipes with flowing water down to several stages until the water reached the concrete stream.

"There is a heavy-duty submersible pump which carries the water back to the statue's mouth," Emyr explained steadily. "The cycle goes on as long as the pump is there."

"There is no water in the stream!" Ara exclaimed in dismay.

"The pump must have a technical issue. Old Ponso is surely informed of the breakdown." After wiping himself, he wiped her face with a new table napkin.

Ara was suddenly aware of Emyr's hand on her face. His touch was light and gentle. She looked at him and saw him gazing at her.

"You're wet but you don't seem to notice," he murmured quietly.

"I'm just wet. There's no damage done," she whispered breathlessly.

"Oh, Miss Gray, you are rare!" Emyr exclaimed in admiration.

Ara did not know how their heads were so near to each other. Their mouths were about to kiss...

A small splash of water went overhead. They were both wet again.

"Brrr! I'm cold!" Ara cried shakily.

"You are soaking wet!" Emyr picked up the bell. Mrs. Cleeve came at once.

"What happened? You're both drenched!"

"Kindly help Miss Gray take a warm bath, Mrs. Cleeve. She is freezing!"

Ara sneezed many times in a row. "Oh, I'm sorry, Mrs. Cleeve!" she mumbled behind her hands.

"Come with me, Miss Gray!" The buxom housekeeper led Ara by the hand.

In a few minutes, she was immersed in a tub full of warm water. Ara started to feel better.

"Here is a cup of hot mint tea. This will make you feel human again," Mrs. Cleeve joked.

"Thank you, ma'am." she sipped the hot liquid gratefully. She had never felt the caring of her own mother when she was sick.

"I wish I have a daughter like you, Miss Gray. You are so gentle." Mrs. Cleeve was on the same wavelength. She gently combed Ara's hair after she unbraided the wet strands.

"You have sons only?"

"I've never married so I don't have a son or daughter."

"Oh." Ara thought for a moment. "You lost your loved one?" she asked with compassion.

"I lost my only love when I was young. He died of leukemia at twenty. He couldn't even leave me a reminder of our time together because he was infertile..." Mrs. Cleeve's tears flowed on freely.

"Oh, Mrs. Cleeve, I'm sorry!" Ara straightened to face the crying housekeeper. She held the hand and kissed it.

"I cry whenever I remembered Tonio. I'm sorry!"

Ara let the older woman cry on her shoulder.

After a few minutes of crooning, Mrs. Cleeve came to her senses.

"The bath water lost its warmth!" She helped Ara get out of the tub. She bustled around as she fussed on drying and dressing Ara.

"Nothing to worry. I'm feeling toasty now." Ara was lying on the bed.

"Thank you for listening and letting my cry, Miss Gray. I felt as though a sharp thorn was pulled out by my side!" Mrs. Cleeve told her while tucking the sheet securely.

"I'm glad to help you, ma'am," Ara said humbly. "Goodnight, Mrs. Cleeve!"

"Goodnight, Miss Gray!" After making sure that everything was alright, the housekeeper had closed the door.

Ara stared at the ceiling but she was reliving the scene when Emyr Viceroy almost kissed her lips. She did not imagine it. Their mouths were getting near to one another.

Then the splash of the coldest water drenched them...

Was it true? The dragons heard her...?

The explanation of Emyr about the pump maybe true but the way the water was poured over them was coincidental. It happened twice...

Ara had fallen asleep thinking about the incident.

'What does being kissed by Emyr Viceroy feel like?' This was Ara's last thought before she was transported to dreamland.

Her dream always started with the skies so blue it blinded. The sun was glaring that morning.

Or her friend, the dragon, glared at her.

"Why are you angry at me?" She wanted to know.

The dragon just gave a low growl and turned away.

"Please, tell me. Why are you mad at me?" Ara followed him.

The dragon picked flowers with his mouth and laid them at her feet. He still managed to let her feel his annoyance even though he was giving her pretty blooms. He did not look at her once.

"Please, stop! Let's talk!" Ara yelled at him in exasperation.

The dragon halted and faced her.

Ara opened her mouth but no words came out.

"Well?" Emyr Viceroy was suddenly standing in front of her!